Operator for elevator gates



Aug. 16, 1932. R. s. PEELLE OPERATOR FOR ELEVATOR GATES Filed May 26,1931 2 SheetsSheet 1 I I-l v A ATTORNEY.

Aug. 16, 1932. R. s. PEELLE OPERATOR FOR ELEVATOR GATES Filed May 26,1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 16, 1932 PATENT oFl-nce ROBERT s.PEELLE, or nonms'nnw Yonx essrenon'ro THE PEELLE coivrrnny, orBROKLN,:1\T'EW YORK, A cannonrron or NEW YORK orEnA'roR-Fon ELEVATORGATES Application filed i-May *26, 7

My invention relates to" operators for elevator gates, and moreparticularly to operators for gates upon elevator cars which areoperated in conjunction with "doors closing the door opening ot' anelevatorshaft.

it is arommon practice in Warehouses to employ elevator cars,thenp'latform dimensionsof which are sufficiently large to receive oneor =more large -vehicles, such 'as mot-or or horse drawn trucks, for thepurpose of iconweying the loaded vehicles fromfloor to floor in abuilding, and permitting a single handling' of the goods whendeliveringor'rem'oving same to, or from, the warehouse.

It is also a common practice to provide the elevator shaftsin'suchwarehouses with door openings in opposite walls, each openingbeing closed by independently operable doors, and the elevatorcar beingprovided, at opposite ends'thereof, with gates'so as to minimizelikelihood of accident during the movement of the car. The elevator carcontrols are-located adjacent one-'endgof the car platform, andwithma-nually operative gates and doors, the etliciency of the elevatorequipment is reduced if the operator is requiredto travel from one endof thecar'to the other, or the expense of operation of the elevator isincreased in=theevent that two men are'employedto operate the car.

' The main purpose of my present invention to provide an electric motoractuated open.

ator for imparting opening and closing movement to the gate as well astothe doors, so that when'it is desired to apply opening or closingpower to any door, opening or closing power will be simultaneouslygate.-

"lVliile the circuits to the motors for operating the doors and'thegates are controlled by 'le'penthouse switch, theapplication of power tothe motors for opening the-door is controlledby a shaft switch operated-by-a shoe upon an elevator car so as tolimit the apthe door closing anopeningat which the elevator'car is situated at'the timethat-th-e pentehouse switch is closed by a remote Control, such as amannally operativeswitch in the car itself. Int-hat typeof-elevator where an atapplied tothe plication of power to motors operative upon 1931. Serial No.540,131.

'l-ar manually operative switches are provided atthe diiferent landings,such switches being known as fioor or hall switches.

- v The operator of the invention, as shown in I:

the drawings, is applied to'a counterbalanced elevator door consistingof two sections oppositely movable in the same vertical plane, each ofthese sections being of substantially :thesame weight as the other,andtlie two sections being connected by a flexible connection passingover a sheave at each side of the door, each sheave forming. a partofthe operator mechanism and being geared directly to a small individualmotor. 7 r

The gate, however, is carried by and movjable with the car, and themotorfor operating the same also hasmovement with thercar. With thisconstruction, it is impossible to placethe motor acting upon the gateunder the control of shaftswitches at difiierent floors, because of thediificulties electrically, andthe undesirability of providing separate-wiringsystems of the doors and torthe gate.

Wl1ile with an operator embodying the invention, the movement of thedoor sections "and "the elevator gate issimultaneous, the gate must-havesubstantially twice the move- .ment ofeit-her doorsection, thusnecessitating the continued application of power; to both the doormotorsand thegate motor for aniinterval suflicient to ensure the completeopening or closing movement of. the gate.

.This is compensated forby slippage between theflexible doorconnectionsand thesheave operative: thereon.

This condition also'permits the use ofia 'singledim-it switch carried bythe car and co-operating with a shoe carried by theg-ate for theipurposeofinterrupting theapplic'awtionfof power, not only to the motor opera-;tive upon the gate, but to the motors opera- ;tive upon the door.

" c The invention consists primarily ,in an operator torelevator gatesembodyingthere- "in the combination with an elevator car, a

camcarried thereby, a counterbalance'd elevator door mounted 'in anelevator shaft, 'fiexible connections between thefsections of said door,electric motor actuated sheaves over which said connections passrespectively, and a vertically slidable gate mounted upon the elevatorcar, of electric conductor lines passing vertically through the shaft,electromagnetic pole changing switches controlling the circuit to saidconductor lines, a remote manually operative switch mechanism foractuating said magnetic switches, branch lines leading from said shaftconductor lines to the motors of said motor actuated sheaves, a shaftswitch adapted to be actuated by a cam upon an elevator car controllingthe circuit to said branch lines, an electric motor actuated sheaveoperative upon said gate, and branch lines extending from said shaftlines, movable with the elevator car and connected with the motor ofsaid last named motor actuated sheave, whereby with the actuation ofsaid pole changing switch mechanism, power may be selectively applied toany door in the elevator shaft, and be simultaneously applied to themotor actuated sheave operative upon said gate; and in such other novelfeatures of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter setforth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claimshereto appended.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view illustrating, in elevation an embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 upon a larger scale; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic showing of the electrical conditions in theoperator.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the platformof an elevator car is shown at 10, and one of the side walls of said carat 11. A door opening in an elevator shaft having lintel 12, sill 13 andjambs 14 is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings; Closing this openingis a counterbalanced door of the usual construction, having an uppersection 15 and a lower section 16 mounted upon a vertically extendingguide or track structure 17. i

' Mounted upon this guide or track structure is a fitting 18, havingmounted therein a small electric motor 19 and a sheave 20, one shroud 21of which is in the form' of a spur gear enmeshed with a small gear 22upon the'motor shaft. This motor driven sheave mechanism is duplicatedupon opposite sides of the doors, and the flexible connections 23connecting the opposite sides of the door sections 15 and 16 pass aboutthese sheaves. It'is to be noted that the use of which will more fullyappear hereinafter.

Carried by each guide rail structure adjacent the sill 13 is a truck barstop 24 adapted to engage the truck bar of the lower door section, whenthis bar is substantially flush with the sill 13, and arrest furthermovement of both of the door sections 15 and 16.

The construction heretofore described, has been used by me prior to thepresent invention, and it is not my intention to claim same herein,except as a part of a combination in conjunction with the elevator cargate and the means for opening and closing employed for both theelevator door and the gate, and being so arranged that while opening orclosing power may be selectively applied to any door in a shaft, thegate will be opened or closed together with the opening or closing ofany selected door.

The gate mechan sm in detail will now be described. It consists of aguide or track structure 25, supported from the platform 10 and each sde wall 11 adjacent one or each end of the elevator car. Slidablymounted 1 upon such guide or track structures is a vertically slidinggate 26 consisting of an angle metal frame 27, the opening of which isclosed by wire mesh suitably braced in any desired manner. Each guidestructure is composed of a Z-bar 28 carrying an angle metal bar 29. TheZ-bar 28 is rivetted or welded to the side wall 11 and extends upwardlybeyond the said side wall'and the upper end of the angle bar 29. Theside bars of the angle metal frame 27 carry an angle bar 30, one flangeof which projects between, and is guided by, spaced flanges of Z-bar 28and the angle bar 29, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3.

Adjacent the top of the side bars of the gate frame 27 are anglebrackets 31 by which the supporting chains 32 for the gates are attachedto the gate.

The gate 26 may be of any desired height, but it is obvious thatwhatever its height, it must have a vertical movement substantiallyequalling the height of the door opening, which movement is twice thatrequired of either door section 15 or 16. It is for this reason that theZbar'28 is extended well above the top of the car, since with theopening movement of the gate, the bottom rail of the frame 27 is broughtsubstantially flush with the top of a car.

Carried by the Z-bar 28 adjacent the top thereof is a fitting 33, havingmounted therein a small motor 34k and a sheave 35, one shroud 36 ofwhich is in the form of a spur gear enmeshed-with a gear 37 upon themotor shaft.

counter .12 haft switch has line, and a contact With the 26, only onemotorized sheave is required, and consequently the "other fiex ible'conneceon 32 passedQover "an idle sheave mounted upon the other 4structure 25, and is connected wit-ha .ve ght'll-slidable in ah'ousing42 suitably braced from the outside of the opposite de wall 11 oi thecar.

By this ai noted, no mo track of parts, it will he the operator areexposed wit-l hecar so to be'endangered by vehicles passing between thecar and a floor. 'lhe weights and their hous ngs and chain when li isopen-are protected bythe side w.- s ll, and the 1110 561 wellahove-the'top L iz-ed sheav s positioned or" the ca. 7

It will be noted that-while the axis of the motorized door sheaves 20-extend at right gles to the wall of the elevator shaft, that the axis ofthe motorized gate sheave and of the idle sheave 40 extend at rightangles to the wall of thesha'ft in a manner to per mit a proper locatingof the weight housings while bringing the motor and its sheave close tothe sidewall ll. v y

The space available for the motor 34, sheaves E35 and 40, the counterwetghts 38 and 41 and the housings 39' and 42, is very limited requiringthe detailed structural characteristics arrangement of these parts abovereferred to;

Located in thepenthouse, or in any other d sired ccessihle position, isa switch panel ying an opening magnetic switch'mechal. a closingmagnetic switch mechanism 44. Electrical mains are shown at '45, 4G and47 and are connected .Jy branch lines 418, 49 and5O with fixed contacts51, 52 of the opening switch echanism. The movable contacts 54, 55and-56of this mechanism are in electrical connection with uncommt ors 57, 58and 59 oi the shaft conductor :line. 1 ading from the conductor 59 toeach or the motors 3.9 is a branch line 60.

- Arranged in the shaft is a shaft switch '61 adapted to carried by andmovable with'the car.- This two pairs of fixed contacts, one contact ofone pairbeing connected-by the lead 63 with the conductor 570i theshai'tof theother pair being connected by the line 64 with the conductor 58.The other contact of one of 'saidp'airs'is con nected by the lead withone motor terminal, while the remaining contact of the other pair isconnected by the lead 66 with the 7 remaining motor contact. The-threecon- 'tacts ofthe' motor 34 are connected by'branch which magnet isconnected be actuated by a shoe orcain '62 lines '67, 68 "and 69 withthe conductors 59, 57 and '58 respectively. 7

"Each of th'emotors 19 and84is aspecial'ly constructed three-phaseinductive motor'having a rotating field so as to permit the reversal ofthe direction'ofrotation of'the'motor by a'reversing of two of the threephases of the current source.

It will be noted that while the circuits to each motor l9'a'recontrolled by the switch 61, that the circuits to themotor 84 arecon- 7 trolled solely by either theopening switch 43 or theclosingswitch 44. This arrangein'ent permits the selective applicationof power tothe' motors operative upon any door of the shaft, but assuresthe operation 7 of the gate irrespective of the operation of anyselected door. At the same time, the application of power'to the motorsat any door will result in the simultaneous application to the motor ofthe gate, whetherthe power be applied for the purpose of opening orclosing the doors, and that the gate will 'have'niovement in the samedirection as the upper door section of the door.

I The fixed contacts 70, 71 and 7 2 are in direct electrical connectionwith the mains 45, 46 and 47, and the movable contacts 73, 74 and 75 ofsaid switch mechanism are in electrical connectionthrough the-leads 76,77 and 7 8 with the shaft conductors 58, 57 and 59 respectively. By thisarrangement, the closing of the switch 44 will place the mains45 and 46in electrical connection with the conductors 5'8 and 57 respectively,while the 6105- ing of the switch 43 will place the mains 45 and 46inelectricalconnectionwith the conductors 57 and 58. This shifting ofthelines 57a'nd 58 will have the same operative efiect as to each of themotors 19' and'34.

Carriedby, and' movablewith, thecar is a switch mechanism lv 79 having amanual u operative Vopening'switch 80,0ne of the fixed contacts of whichis connected by the lead 81 with one of the fixed contacts of the limitswitch 82, the other fixed cont-act of said circuit'switch beingconnected by the lead 83 with 'one terminal of the'winding of the magnetof the switch 43, the other terminal of by the-leads 84, 85 and;48 withthe main '45. The other fixed contact of'the' opening switch isconnected by the leads 86 and .50'with the main 47. JAlso included intheswitch 79 is a manually operative closing switch 87, one fixed con tactof which is connected with the lead 86, "and the other fixed contact ofwhich is connected by the lead 88 with one'terminal-of the-winding ofthe magnet of the closing switch 44,"the otherterminal ofwhich'win'dingis connected through the leads and '48 with the main 45.

Each ofthe switches 48 and 44 is normally open, while the limit switch82 is normally closed.

80. The closing of position, thus 7 de-energizing The limit'switch 82 ismounted upon the guide or track structure adjacent the mo torized sheave35, and therefore is movable with the car so as to be operative as toany door in a shaft as well as to the gate.

Carried by one of the angle brackets 31 is a cam 89 positioned adjacentthetop of the gate in a position where it will engage and actuate thelimit switch substantially simultaneously with the completion of theupward or opening movement of the gate.

The operation of the herein described mechanism is substantially asfollows Normally, all of the doors in an elevator shaft are closed, andthe gate 26 is also closed. This condition continues so long as theelevator car is having movement. When a car is stopped at any floor in ashaft, the cam or shoe 62, shown conventionally in 4, is in theoperative relation to the shaft switch 61 so that said switch is, or maybe, closed so as to place the motors 19 in electrical connection withthe shaft conductors 57 and 58, the conductor 59 being in directelectrical connection with said motors at all times.

The cam 62 may be either a fixed cam or a receding cam, as desired,since the closing of the switch 61, of itself, will not result in theapplication of power to said motors 20.

With the switch 61 closed, opening power may be applied to that dooradjacent which the car is at rest, by closing the opening switch thisswitch closes the circuit from the lines and 47, which circuit includesthe winding of the magnetic switch 43 and the contacts of the limitswitch 82. The energizing of the magnet 43 actuates the movable contacts54, and 56 so as to close the circuit to the shaft conductors 57 58 and59 thus energizing the motors 19, and the motor 34. There is a continuedapplication of power to each of said motors until the gate 26 hascompleted its full opening movement. i

As heretofore pointed out, the duration of the run of the motors l9,necessary to effect a full opening movement of the counterbalancedelevator door, is only approximately one-half of that required to effecta full opening movement of the gate 26. Nevertheless, the magneticswitch mechanism 43 must be held closed until the gate has attained itsfull opening movement, or for a sufficient interval to permit thedevelopment of moving inertia of the door sections and of thegate tocomplete the opening movement.

By using the limit switch 82 in the circuit controlled by the openingswitch 80, for energizing the winding of the magnetic switch 43, thiscircuit will be automaticallyinterrupted when the gate 26 has reachedits full open the magnet 43 andpermitting the automatic opening of thecircuit to the shaft conductors 57, 58 and 59. In this manner, theapplication of power to the motors 19 is controlled by the movement ofthe gate 26 during the opening movement of the door and of the gate.Consequently. power is applied to the motors 19 for an interval inexcess of that required to fully open the elevator door, the motors 19running idly following the complete opening movement of said door. Thechains or other flexible connections 23 have no movement, while themotors 19 are thus running idly, slippage occurring between saidconnections and said motors to permit the mode of operation abovedescribed.

The above mode of operation is made possible because of the engagementof the truck bar of the lower door section 16 with the 24, since whenthe lower door to rest, the connections 23 are relieved from the load ofthis section, which load is essential to ensure the movement of thedoors by the sheaves 2O.- lVith a door operator of the type hereindescribed, the traction between the sheaves 20 and the connections 23 isdeveloped as a result of the substantially balanced loads upon oppositeends of said connections, the door sections 15 and 16.

When it is desired to close the door and the gate, it is merelynecessary for the attendant to close the switch 87, thus energizing thewinding of the magnet 44 and actuating the movable contacts 73, 74 and75 in a way to apply potential to the shaft lines 57, 58, and 59reversing the polarity of the lines 57 and 58 in a manner to impart areverse rotation to the motors 19 and 34. The circuit controlled by theswitch 87 does not include a limit switch, but the application ofpotential to the motors 19 is possible only as a result of the closingofthe switch 61.

It will be noted that the motor 34 may be energized entirelyindependently of the switch 61, either to open or close the gate.

The free running of one chain 32 over the motor actuated sheave 35permits the control of the movement of the gate in a manner to avoidpossible injury to anyone positioned below the gate. In fact, movementof the gate in either direction may be readily restrained by merelygrasping the gate, and this may be done without subjecting the motor tothe likelihood of damage thereto.

In the construction shown, both the elevator door andthe gate may bemanually actuated in the event of failure of the motive powerfor themotors 19 and 34.

The conductors 67, 68 and 69, as well as the connections 83, 86 and 88,are contained in a cable having movement with the car.

a As heretofore pointed out, the motor 34, the chains 32, thecounterbalancing weight and the weight boxes are all positioned outsideof the side wall 11 of the elevator car so as notlto be subjected tolikelihood of breakage or disarrangement by vehicles car only, and.occupy but: a few inches; of

space. I v

The construction described ensures the simultaneous application of powerto both the doors and the gate through asingle manually operative switchmechanism,,thus precluding possibility of the failure of. theattendantto properly actuate'both. of these safeguards. I

If an attendant should manually open or close either the doors or thegates, power may nevertheless be applied to the other for the purpose ofopening or closing it.

It isv not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details ofconstruction shown in the accompanying drawings, it being apparentthatsuch may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to haveprotected by Letters Patent, is H 1. An operator for elevator gatesembodying therein the combination with an elevator car, a cam carriedthereby, a counterbalanced elevator door mounted in an elevator shaft,

I flexible connections between the sections of said door, electric motoractuated sheaves over which said connections pass respectively, and avertically slidable gate mounted upon the elevator car, of electricconductor lines passing vertically through the shaft,

electro-magnetic pole changing switches controlling the circuit to saidconductor lines, a remote manually operative switch mechanism foractuating said magnetic switches, branch lines leading from said shaftconductor lines to the motors of said motor actuated sheaves, a shaftswitch adapted to be actuated by a cam upon an elevator car controllingthe circuits to said branch lines, an electric motor actuated sheaveoperative upon said gate, and branch lines extending from said shaftlines, movable with the elevator car and connected with the motor ofsaid last named motor actuated sheave, whereby with the actuation ofsaid pole changing switch mechanislm'power may be selectively applied toany door in the elevator shaft, and be simultaneously applied to themotor actuated sheave operative upon said gate.

' passing vertically through the shaft, elect-romagnetic pole changingswitches controlling the circuit to said conductor lines, a remotecontrol for said pole changing switches ineluding a manuallyoperativeopening switch, a normally closed limit switch, and electricalconductors from a source including the winding of one of said magneticswitches, said limit switch and said manually operative switch, branchlines leading from said shaft conductor lines to the motors of saidmotor. actuated sheaves, a shaft switch adapted to be actuated by a camupon an elevator car cone trolling the circuits to said branch lines, an

elect to motor actuated sheave operative upon:

said gate, branch lines extending from said shaft lines, movable'wit-hthe elevator cal and connected with the motor of said last named motoractuated sheave, whereby with the actuationof said pole changing switch.

mechanism, power may be selectively ap- 7 interrupted toward thecompletion of the opening movement of the gate.

3 In an operator for elevator gates, the combination with electric motoractuated sheaves operative respectively upon a series of elevator doorsin a shaft, of an elevator car, a vertically slidable gate mounted thereon, a motor driven sheave operative upon; said gate, electric conductorlines passing vertically through the shaft, a shaft switch whereby thepower from saidlines maybe selectively applied to the motors adjacentany door in the shaft, electrical connections be-- tween said lines andsaid motor driven sheave, whereby said sheave will be actuated simul--taneously with the actuation of the motors operative upon any selecteddoor, electromagnetic polechanging switches controlling the circuit tothe conductors of said shaft line, and a remote manually operativeswitch mechanism for controlling the actuation of said magneticswitches.-

4. In an operator for elevator gates, the

combination with electric motor actuated sheaves operative respectivelyupon a seriesof elevator doors in a shaft, of an elevator car, avertically slidable gate mounted there on, a motor'driven sheaveoperative upon said gate, electric conductor lines passing] verticallythrough the shaft, a shaft switch whereby the power from said lines may"be selectively applied to the motors adjacent any door in the shaft,electrical connections between said lines and said motor driven sheave,whereby said sheave will be actuated simultaneously with the actuationof the motors operative upon any selected door,

electro-magnetic pole changing switches controlling the circuit to theconductors of saidshaft line, a remote control for said pole changingswitches including a manually operative opening switch, a normallyclosed limit switch, and electrical conductors from a source includingthe winding of one of said magnetic switches, said limit switch and saidmanually operative switch, and means carried by the gate co-operatingwith said limit switch, whereby the circuit to said shaft conductorlines will be automatically interrupted toward the completion of theopening movement of the gate.

5. An operator for elevator gates embodying therein the combination withan elevator car, a cam carried thereby, a counterbalanced elevator doormounted in an elevator shaft, flexible connections between the sectionsof said door, electric motor actuated sheaves over which saidconnections pass respectively, and a vertically slidable gate mountedupon the elevator'car, of electric conductor lines passing verticallythrough the shaft, electro-magnetic pole changing switches controllingthe circuit to said conductor lines, a remote manually operative switchmechanism for actuating said magnetic switches, branch linesleading fromsaid shaft conductor lines to the motors of said motor actuated sheaves,a shaft switch adapted to be actuated by a cam upon an elevator carcontrolling the circuits to said branch lines, means stopping theopening movement of the elevator door, an electric motor actuated sheaveoperative upon said gate, and branch lines extending from said shaftlines, movable with the elevator car and connected with the motor ofsaid last named motor actuated sheave, whereby with the actuation ofsaid pole changing switch mechanism, power may be selectively applied toany door in the elevator shaft, and be simultaneously applied to themotor actuated sheave operative upon said gate.

6. An operator for elevator gates embodying therein the combination withan elevator car, a cam carried thereby, a counterbalanced elevator doormounted in an elevator shaft, flexible connections between the sectionsof said door, electric motor actuated sheaves over which saidconnections pass respectively, means stopping the opening movement ofthe elevator door, and a vertically slidable gate mounted upon theelevator car, of electric conductor lines passing vertically through theshaft, electro-magnetic pole changing switches controlling the circuitto said conductor lines, a remote control for said pole changingswitches including a manually operative opening switch, a normallyclosed limit switch, and electrical conductors from a source includingthe winding of one of said magnetic switches, said limit switch and saidmanually operative switch, branch lines leading from said shaftconductor lines to the motors of said motor actuated sheaves, a

shaft switch adapted to be actuated by a cam upon an elevator carcontrolling the circuits to said branch lines, an electriomotor actuatedsheave operative upon said gate, branch lines extending from said shaftlines, movable with the elevator car and connected with the motor ofsaid last named motor actuated sheave, whereby with the actuation ofsaid pole changing switch mechanism, power may be selectively applied toany door in the elevator shaft, and be simultaneously applied to themotor actuated sheave operative upon said gate, and means carried bysaid gate co-operating with said limit switch, whereby the circuit tosaid shaft conductor lines will be automatically interrupted toward thecompletion of the opening movement of the gate. In witness whereof Ihave hereunto afiixed my signature this 19th day of May, 1931.

ROBERT S. PEELLE.

